Happy Same Year

Gusto ko sanang batiin ang lahat ng Happy New Year — subalit naisip ko na dapat ko itong pag-isipang mabuti. Maaring itanong nyo – bakit ko pa kailangan pag-isipan ito… e New Year naman talaga…. saka happy naman talaga. Malamang – iniisip nyo na nagmemenopause na naman ako at ayaw ko na naman na may sumasasaya sa aking paligid. Pwes… nagkakamali kayo. Wala naman talaga akong issue sa pagiging happy…. Mainam nga kung happy palagi. Ang medyo nagpapaisip sa akin ay ang salitang “NEW” sa Happy New Year. Technically – New Year naman na talaga… tapos na ang 2007 at nandito na ang 2008. Pero kung bubusisiin nyo talaga ito —- may mga pagbabago nga ba sa darating na taon?

Flashback — 2006 —- pa-2007. Lahat ay Masaya at bumabati ng Happy New Year… fine… pati ako ay kasama sa lahat… kaya nga lahat e…. all… everyone. Lahat. Anyway — ngayong matatapos na ang 2007 —- pwede na nating ikumpara ang mga pangyayari sa 2006 at 2007. Busisiing mabuti… may pagkakaiba ba sila? Ang mahirap nung 2006 — mahirap pa rin naman nung 2007. Kung busy ka ng 2006 — e busy ka rin naman nung 2007. Ang pulitika sa Pilipinas — 2006 man o 2007 wala namang pagkakaiba. Yung mga OFW na nagpapakahirap sa ibang bansa nung 2006 — nasa ibang bansa pa rin naman at nagpapakahirap ng 2007. Ang ABS at GMA – magkaaway nung 2006 — magkaaway pa rin naman nung 2007. Ang gasolina na mataas nung 2006 — mataas pang lalo nang 2007. Si Big Brother – faceless nung 2006 … faceless pa rin nitong 2008. Cute ako nung 2006….. Cute pa rin naman ako ngayong 2007… So – ano ang “new” dito? Di ba parang reenactment lang naman ng 2006 ang 2007? Bukod sa numerong 6 at 7 — may nagging new nga ba sa taon natin?

Hmm… napaisip kayo ng wala sa oras no? Nagdadalawang isip na rin kayo kung Happy New Year nga ba ang dapat sabihin … o Happy Same Year? Kung oo ang sagot nyo – well — good for you… minsan mainam din yung nag-iisip… yung nagrereflect …. Para kahit papaano ready kayo to face the coming year… maging New Year man ito o Same Year – ang importante – we learned from the past year — and we try to be better with the coming year… at syempre — dapat laging Happy……

HAPPY NEW/SAME YEAR sa lahat! ☺

Love ko to!

Christmas is just around the corner…. Yes!!!! … sa wakas at nagamit ko rin itong palasak na pangungusap na ito. Can’t help but wonder — bakit corner? Paano kung walang corner? What if circular? Siguro naman may magandang rason bakit corner ang napili nila.

Anyway — everyone who know me knows how much I love Christmas. Why do I love Christmas? Well… let me count the ways ….

1. Syempre – kasi birthday ni Jesus — whether ito man ang tutuong araw ng birthday nya o hindi – wala ako pakialam. The important thing is — there is this one day to commemorate the birth of our Savior.

2. Medyo nababawasan ang mga masusungit pag Christmas season. I should know – I am one grouchy person… pero kahit papaano – nababawasan ito pag nakikita ko na ang Christmas decors…. Pag naaririnig ang Christmas carols…. People making their list…. People buying special gifts…. People taking time to be kind to one and all. Kahit pinaglihi ka pa kay Scrooge at Grinch — you can’t help but be affected by the love and happiness around you.

3. Making lists. Yup… the naughty and nice lists. Wala lang. I know….. Christmas is giving, love ..etc.. yada…yada… and so on and so forth…. Pero isipin nyo rin — every Christmas – Santa Claus is also doing his list? So – acceptable na gumawa din ng list. Without the list – how will you know kung sino ang bibigyan ng gifts, kung sino ang hihingan ng gifts… and of course who will be left out of the list. When I make my list — I have the initial version where I wrote all the friends and family members na gusto kong bigyan ng gift for Christmas. Afterwards – I cross reference ko this with my financial capability for that year. After the cross reference – I need to do my 2nd version of the list. I may need to remove some names – not because they are naughty…. pero ganun talaga … its my version of cost cutting. Anyway – yung mga naalis naman sa aking list – ay may SMS or Christmas card. Dito pumapasok ang “It’s the thought that counts”. Pag hindi pa rin sakto sa budget — I may have to release a 3rd version. Ganun talaga – may panahon na medyo tight ang budget.

4. Buying gifts! This is one of the finer things in life. I do try to personalize my gifts. Ibig sabihin – for sure ako ang bumili… ako ang pumili… and there is a certain reason why I gave the particular gift. Posibleng naisip ko yung tao na yun when I saw the item… or I particularly like that item and would like to share it with a friend who I think will love it as well…. Or naisip ko na magiging useful sa pagbibigyan ko ang gift na yun. So big or small man ang gift… you can be assured na kahit papaano nag-isip ako. ☺

5. Gift wrapping. I love wrapping gifts. It has this calming effect on me. Therapeutic ba. Wag lang ako mamadaliin kasi baka ma-therapeutic ko yung mukha ng nagmamadali sa akin. Aside from the spa-like effect sa aking ugali – naniniwala ako na hindi natatapos ang pagreregalo sa pagbili nito — kailangan may effort din sa pagbalot nito. But I have to admit – hirap ako magbalot ng mga items na hindi nakabox. Either ibili ko ng box yung item — or I will try to find the perfect .. okay close to perfect na sisidlan ng regalo na ito. If I have the time – I treat it as an arts and craft project – with matching glue gun! Pag wala namang oras —- kailangan pa rin maayos — as much as possible walang mga scotch tape na makikita. Double sided tape is my best friend.

6. Food. A festive occasion is a very legitimate reason to pig out. Yum… yum… sira tuloy lagi ang aking imaginary diet.

7. Lights and Trees. Nakakatuwa naman talaga di ba? Kahit sa Pinas pa or dito sa Singapore — bongga lagi ang mga decorations. Festive trees are in every corner… palakihan at pagandahan ang mga malls. Millions of Christmas lights adorn the trees, roads and buildings. Kanya-kanya sila ng kutitap. The Pinas lantern is always a sight to behold. Nakakawala ng homesickness. Nakakawala ng lungkot.

8. Christmas Carols. Starting September 1 pa lang — nagpapatugtog na ako ng Christmas Carols. Wala lang — Masaya kasi e. Uplifting pag nalulungkot ka. Dun naman sa mga senti – may mga songs din na talo pa ang Maging Sino Ka Man sa kadramahan. There’s a Christmas song for every mood.

9. Gifts! It is a good feeling when you give gifts… but receiving gifts is a treat as well. I make it a point to open gifts at Christmas day — kaya dun sa mga magreregalo — you need to inform me if your gift is perishable and needs to be refrigerated … or kailangan i-consume agad. Otherwise – malalagay ito sa ilalim ng Christmas tree — and during Christmas day i-open ko ito and be surprised… not the good surprise … surprise kasi bulok nap ala yung gift.. saying… alam kong it’s the thought that counts.. pero it would be nice kung mapakinabangan naman yung gift.

10. Family and friends. Christmas is the time that everyone tries to make time sa mga kapamilya at kaibigan. Yung mga taong di mo nakikita buong taon — chances are makikita mo sila sa sangkaterbang Christmas parties, Christmas lunch, etc… The Company has a song which best describes this – title is Isang Taong Lumipas…. Sabi nga sa kanta — isang taon lumipas, isang taong dumaan… ngunit sa dinami ng mga taong pinagsamahan… tuwing pasko tayo at tayo pa rin lamang. Christmas is the official ice-breaker — yung mga nag-aaway ay nagkakabati… yung mga bago ay nabibigyan ng chance na maki-bonding, yung mga nalulungkot ay nabibigyan ng chance na sumaya.

Yan.. 10 very good reasons why I love Christmas… I could go on and on… pero kailangan ko mag-work. Kaya tama na yan. Maaring may magtanong – how about the things you hate about Christmas .. imposible naman lahat love mo… well.. tutuo kayo dyan.. there are things that I hate as well – traffic, too many people in the malls, high plane ticket fare, sabay-sabay na vacation leave etc. Pero kung iisipin mo talaga –kahit may bumps on the road…. Okay pa rin…. Lahat ng ito balewala. Isa lang ang kailangan nating tandaan mo – the Child Savior is born… may mas importante pa ba dito? ☺

Now Na!

Di ko alam kung bakit – pero I do experience more than my fair share of bad service. Siguro – this is nature’s way of punishing me dahil minsan medyo di kagandahan ang pag-uugali ko. Like last weekend — I met a friend for a “very late lunch – but still to early to be considered dinner and to heavy to be considered merienda” in this seafood place where the Fish are never alone as they always have Co. Gets? I ordered this fish collarbone something and my friend ordered the sea food platter for one. We both requested for warm water. Nagkataon naman na pareho kaming sobrang gutom na talaga. Famished is the word that best described us that time. After around 10 minutes or so… bumalik yung isang waiter to inform me that my order may take around 20 minutes to cook and if that is alright with me. Since gutom na nga ako – I said that I will just change my order. Surprisingly – walang dalang menu si Mr. Waiter. Wala lang – since tinanong mo ako kung okay lang na maghintay – di ba may posibilidad na hindi ang sagot ko? At pag hindi ang sagot ko — oorder ako ng iba . At pag-oorder ako ng iba — kailangan ko ng Menu. Anyway – umalis ulit si Mr. Waiter – then bumalik after 5 minutes. I ordered this crayfish pasta dish + foccacia bread. Umalis na naman si Mr. Waiter. After 5 mintures – may dumating na waiter para ibigay an gaming warm water sabay alis na singbilis ni Flash. Nung tingnan ko yung glass – I can’t help but wonder (pahiram muna Ms. Bradshaw) – nung hinugasan nila ang mga basong binigay sa amin — dumi ba ang ginamit nila at hindi sabon? As in. Parang may mga natuyong kanin dun sa baso. Tinawag naming si Ms. Waiter – at pinapalitan naming ang baso. After a while – dumating si Ms. Waiter with clean glasses – and my foccacia bread with olive oil dip. Sa sobrang gutom ko – nilantakan ko na talaga yung bread. Di ko na hinintay pa yung pasta. Nang isa na lang alaala ang foccacia bread – we can’t help but wonder – bakit kaya wala pa yung food naming. Aba – more than 30 minutes na a. Since halos walang tao sa resto – nakapagtataka di ba? Anyway — after close to 40 minutes – may bagong Ms. Waiter na lumapit sa amin. She informed us na hindi raw pala available yung inorder ko na Crayfish Pasta. Whatttt???? It took almost 30 minutes bago nyo nalaman ang information na yan? Nasa dulo ba ng daigdig ang kitchen nyo para magtagal ng ganyan? I did not hide my inis – as in sinabi ko na this is the 2nd time na papalitan ko order ko. As in — Ms. Waitress suggested this Prwan pasta in white sauce — which I don’t particularly like — pero dahil sa inis na ako…I ordered it. Siguro naman available yun since sila ang nag-suggest. Hay naku. Kung hindi lang talaga ako gutom. Di na rin nagsasalita yung kasama ko – siguro wala nang energy hehehehe. After another 15 or so minutes – still no food. Mahigit isang oras na kami ha! OA naman. Hindi na nakatiis ang kasama ko – tinawag nya si Ms. Waiter — sabay sabing —- “ I want my food served NOW”. Walang please … walang follow-up…. NOW. As in. with very strong emphasis on the word NOW with matching inis look and all. Ito ang linya ng taon — to rival Sam Milby’s “I never told you…. that I love you”. Dahil sa “NOW” – mabilis pa kay Speedy Gonzales na umalis si Ms. Waiter — after 5 minutes — bumalik si Ms. Waiter with our food then left. Walang kahit anong apologies whatsoever. Grabe no? And this place is not that high-end restaurants na nagtatagal ang food. It’s a upscale fast food place no. The service is really bad. Actually – bad is an understatement. Appaling…. Dreadful… Horrendous… That’s the best description to their service. Para matapos na lang – we ate our food in a hurry – then asked for the bill. Normally – nagbibigay ng mints itong resto na ito pag binigay nila ang bill. Pero that day – no mints….. I asked if they have — Ms. Waiter said – they’re out of mints as well. What the !@#$#$!$%$@#$%. Close to 2 hours or my life was wasted — and you can’t give me #$#@$!@# mints! Magsara na kayo! NOW! ☹

Kapamilyang may Kapuso

Nung nasa Pinas pa ako nagtratrabaho - madalang pa sa pagsasabi ng tutuo ng mga congressman natin ang manood ako sa local channel. I usually channel surf sa mga palabas sa cable channels pag trip ko manood ng tv. Bakit? Wala lang — minsan kasi feeling ko puro crap lang naman angmga local shows. Yung mga sitcom — walang kwenta ang script. Dinadaan na lang sa physical comedy which I hate. Pare-pareho lang ang kwento ng mga soap and teleserye - for sure may inapi, ampon, naaksidente, nagka-amnesia at sa dulo — makikidnap. Yung mga variety showsnaman kulang sa variety. It’s the same thing over and over again — and they have the nerve to call their show a variety show. Hello!!! Variety - iba-iba. Just call your show - a show - kasi walanaming variety. Rather than mamatay ako sa highblood — mag HBO na lang.. or Star World or even yung Wins channel. Di nyo alam yung Wins channel? It’s a Japanese cable channel. There’s this show sa channel na ito na Pinay yung host and umiikot sya sa mga places sa Japan. It wasa bad show — pero ika nga ni Jessica Zafra — it was sooo bad it was good! Katawa talaga. My favorite is her little backpack na dala nya palagi - a true Pinoy trademark! Di kayo nanonood nito? Well - I am not sure kung palabas pa rin ito ngayon but do check it out.

Opps… naligaw na naman ako. Ok.. focus. Nung bagong dating ako dito sa Land of 70 Kph in KPE - bigla kong namiss ang mga Pinas craps.. este TV shows. Not sure why — siguro kasi wala dito nun that time. Di ba mamimiss mo lang naman pag wala. Anyway — di lang naman ako ang may ganitong feeling — almost everyone share the same sentiment. At dahil tagtuyot kami with anything Pinas related parang red letter day pag may nahihiram kaming vcds ng mga Pelikulang Pinoy. Wala nang pili-pili pa - nood lang ng nood. The internet is also a God-send. Updated din tuloy kami sa kung ano man ang nangyayari dyan sa Pinas.

Then a few years ago — another Good news! TFC in Singapore! Naku, nagbunyi ang mga Pinoy. Parang may dumating na Kapamilya (hehehe.. baduy ng wordplay!) Most pinoys wasted no time in subscribing to the TFC channel. Pagkaraan ng ilang taon - muli na naman naming nakasama saaming bahay ang mga Kapamilya shows. Malilimutan mo na nasa ibang bansa ka pag nanonood ng TFC. Even the shows that I don’t particulary like —- pinapanood ko na rin. Naku — the teleseryes are a big hit. We do try to go home early para malaman kung mawawala na ba ang amnesia ni Jackie? Magkakatulyan ba sina Celine at J.B.? Kailan bubuhusan ng wine ni Lavinia si Dorina? Ano mangyayari kina Bokbok at Poknat? Sino ang pipiliin ni Imang? Naalala ko nga — I was on medical leave the day the Dorina/Lavinia grand concert was shown — and friends are jesting that I was not really sick - baka daw nanonood lang ako nung concert sa Araneta! Hehehe…. Let’s not forget to mention ang Bahay ni Kuya! Di ko pwedeng ipagkaila - sinubaybayan ko ito. I may even have a blog entry.. or two.. or more tungkol sa Bahay ni Kuya. TFC did really make a difference in the Filipino way of life in Singapore. Everyone was happy.

Then another news — parating na rin daw ang Kapuso this Dec 15! Was  the reception as warm as the arrival of the TFC Kapamilya? Hmm.. so far…not really. Networks war in Singapore? Di naman. Sabihin na lang natin dahil sa mga circumstances. TFC arrived first — so may edge nasila agad. Almost all Pinoys are already subscribed to Starhub Cable TV and they only need to pay an additional SGD15 per month for TFC. GMA Pinoy TV also costs around SGD15. Since money do not grow on trees dito sa Singapore (or anywhere else) - halos lahat ay on a budget. CableTV subscription is a luxury — another SGD15+ a month may hurt the pocket. Not to mention that GMA Pinoy TV is being offered by another Telco Provider- Singtel. If you need the recording function ala Tivo That’s another SGD10+ All in all — kailangan gumastos ng around SGD 30 (estimate ko lang naman po ito) monthly just for 1 channel. That’s SGD 360 annually… again just for 1 channel. Di pa dyan kasali ang one time installation fee na SGD 50+ at ang required Singtellandline na may minimum fee of SGD25+ per quarter. To most hardworking OFWs who needs to provide for the entire barangay in the Philippines - medyo mabigat po ito. But hey.. I am not saying walang magsubscribe dito. Even I am thinking of subscribing — pwede rin kasingi-give-up ang ibang bisyo (e.g. malling, emotional purchases, junk foods etc) bilang kapalit ng subscription. Malay natin – mas matipid pa dahil palaging bahay lang enjoying (?) the well crafted (????) GMA shows.

Anyway — it’s still too early to tell if the GMA Pinoy TV will be as successful as the Filipino Channel. However…. one thing’s sure GMA needs to really step-up to capture the Filipino Market here in Singapore who have been full pledged Kapamilyas for years.

Cynics not Allowed

I attended a “what’s happening to the company and where is it going” video presentation last week dito sa Siyudad. As expected – the big bosses talked and talked tungkol sa mga bagay na gusto nilang mangyari, saan dapat mag-improve, new project schedules etc..etc.. There was also the usual pep talk by the Big Man. In fairness… the new Big Man spoke rather eloquently and he did point out few good things na kung magkakatotoo – ay mainam naman.

Then he mentioned something about the new work culture that he wants everyone to adapt. A culture where cynicism has no place. What? Cynicism? No place? Sa lahat ng sinabi nya — this caught my attention the most… and it didn’t help na nung tapos na syang magsalita – a friend who was in the same session told me that she thought of me when she heard that as well.

My name is ***** — and I am a cynic.. And based on what the Big Man said — has no place whatsoever sa bagong Siyudad.

Ano nga ba ang “Cynicism”? Well.. sabi sa MS Word Thesaurus :

Cynicism —- Pessimism, sarcasm, skepticism, distrust, doubt, suspicion

I do admit that I am a cynical person and never have I though that it’s a bad quality. Don’t get me wrong – I am not an overly negative person. I also try to look at the more positive things of life — like the birds…. bees….. bird and the bees (hehehehe), flowers, trees… crap like that. Pero – I am also a realist. Naniniwala ako na life isn’t always good. You will always have a fair share of bad things. And sometimes – not expecting that everything will turn out good.. or okay… or for the better… isn’t really bad. For me – it would be great if everything turns out okay … but it never hurts to prepare if it doesn’t. Sabi nga sa Scouting — Laging Handa…. Always be prepared. Hindi ba somehow – this is the Scouting’s subtle way of saying – be a little cynical?

My former supervisors also keep on telling me and my teammates —“Always look at the bigger picture”. A rather non-subtle way of saying “make sure that everything is well covered – both negative and positive cases”. Isn’t this just a nicer way of saying “ be cynical”?

My job requires me to look into a requirement – and think of all the possibilities for this requirement – both positive and negative. I need to find faults and point them out to business. Without cynicism – how can I be the problem seeker that I should be? How can I do my job?

Feeling ko pa naman – my cynicism helps me be good on what I do. If cynicism has no place to the company where I currently belong (GMA?)…… does this mean that I am born to be a Kapamilya? Or is cynicism banned there as well?